Update Ch 14
Elizabeth and Charlotte's laughter brought Miss Lucas into Elizabeth's sitting room. They had left the door open, so Maria knew she would be allowed to join them. She sat across from them and immediately put up her feet to get comfortable. "What does Jane say?" She encouraged them to continue.
"We finished the first part." Elizabeth began, "She has been playing chucks with little Henry now that he can reliably count to five."
"Has she taught him with actual sheep bones or pebbles? My father says sheep knee bones are the only way, and this pebble nonsense started by Mrs. Bennet seems a ridiculous flight of fancy." Maria imitated Sir William Lucas with surprising accuracy before bursting into laughter.
"Mr. Gardiner has had wooden cubes made for his son." Elizabeth sounded like she had put on a few more airs as she responded, but the effort was too much, and she dissolved into giggles. After a few breaths to settle down, she continued, "On the first throw, he can only catch one with his palm up. Apparently, he is in raptures watching Jane catch three on the back of her hand in the first throw. She always was better than all of us. He can apparently usually catch two more from the ground after tossing that one back into the air. For a five-year-old, I believe he is doing well. She is so proud of him; an entire page was spent explaining this game and his efficiency."
"Go on!" Maria encouraged. She had always enjoyed hearing of the little one's games, and they were always well described by Jane, who enjoyed spending so much time with them.
Elizabeth picked up the letter again and turned over the first page. She dutifully read an account of shopping with her aunt and a summary of a letter from Mrs. Bennet containing no news apart from the dismay felt by all that the regiment would leave Meryton around the beginning of summer. Then, she apparently taught a new game to her nephews that required skipping in a circle of squares painted with chalk.
"A circle, but I thought hopscotch is a line of squares!"
Elizabeth continued reading the letter and explained, "Not in France. Jane and I were reading about games around the world, and in France, they play 'Escargot' and paint the design in a circle radiating out, much like a snail shell. She still has them toss a pebble in to see which square they must skip."
Maria looked at her sister and eagerly said, "I cannot wait for you to have children. I shall be the best aunt ever!"
Charlotte rubbed her belly and announced that eventually children would come. "Perhaps you will fall madly in love, marry, and teach your own children."
Maria made a face that made Elizabeth and Charlotte laugh heartily. "No, no, no! Games should be taught by doting aunts. That is how it always is." After another round of laughter, she asked Elizabeth if that were the end of the letter.
"No, there is one last section, which she wrote very hurriedly. I can barely make it out." Squinting, she began to read, "I must make haste for though I ought to have mailed this out yesterday, I can now give this to Mr. Darcy who has insisted that he be of use to us in sending this letter. I know you will be surprised, but Mrs. Hurst, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy have all come to visit. Mrs. Hurst apologized for having not called sooner, for she had been very busy with some matter and then had assumed I had returned to Hertfordshire." Elizabeth had to pause to say that she hoped Jane was not being duped again, though it likely did not really matter. "I was very shocked to see them today, but I shall have to write more of that later. I do not wish to keep Mr. Darcy. He appears to be very eager for my letter. He is pacing the hall while Henry follows him around. Mr. Darcy occasionally turns and acts surprised to find my cousin following him, and he is so good-natured with him. Do give him my thanks for ensuring my letter gets to you. Your devoted sister, Jane."
Charlotte eyed Elizabeth carefully before exclaiming, "Mr. Darcy was eager to be of use to you in bringing you a letter from Jane."
Elizabeth cringed. "The colonel let it slip that Mr. Darcy had been glad to separate Jane and Mr. Bingley. Before I could think rationally, Mr. Darcy entered the room and I snapped at him. I regret what I said, for he had claimed to be saving a friend from a loveless marriage. Once my anger subsided, I could see his reasoning. You did say that you could not perceive Jane's regard for Mr. Bingley, so it is no wonder Mr. Darcy could not. I was uncivil, and he responded by riding off to London to rectify his mistake, though I did not know his purpose at the time. I should never have snapped at him, though I do not regret the outcome."
Elizabeth looked back at the letter. Jane never wrote poorly. Her spirits must have been very shaken when she wrote the last part. With tears of joy in her eyes, she continued, "I do not know if Jane and Bingley will fall in love again, but I am glad they have the chance to determine their own destiny. How am I ever to thank Mr. Darcy and apologize for my outburst?"
Charlotte laughed, "Nothing is easier, my dear Eliza. Simply meet with him and apologize for not understanding the full scenario and then thank him for his troubles. I doubt he is the sort to wish for the drawn-out thanks that my husband is so well practiced at giving."
Elizabeth laughed at the thought of her cousin's speeches. "No, he is not so verbose himself, so you are probably correct that succinct is best. I simply wish I had more of Jane's thoughtfulness to have minded my own business, or at the least not to have shouted so much."
Maria thought about this for a moment before replying, "But if you had not been so angry, he might not have seen the urgency required, and Jane would not have reconnected so soon with Mr. Bingley."
Charlotte agreed that what was done was for the best and there was no need to rehash the past.
"Very well, my friends. I shall take this letter out to reread in the garden. A few more perusals will make me feel better. The lilac bush is a perfect place to peruse Jane's letter." Slipping on her sturdier boots, she snatched up the three pages and left the room, leaving Charlotte and Maria behind to wonder how this development would affect their friend.
AN: Thanks for reading!